A slow, relaxing weekend.

This weekend definitely encompassed the gezzelig attitude of the Dutch. We spent the weekend doing as everyone else was - taking it slow, spending time with others outdoors, and people watching. I don't know if it was just because it was particularly nice weather, but on the weekend the people really take over the streets. During the weekdays it can sometimes be a struggle to claim space on the streets as bikes, delivery vehicles, garbage trucks, cars, and pedestrians fill it up. But starting Friday night the people busted out their folded table and chairs on their stoop or across to the canal and enjoyed wine, reading a book, or spending time with others. Meanwhile people at bars and restaurants spilled out on to the streets and the canals were alive with people on their boats listening to music and partying with friends. On Saturday we had the idea, as did everyone else, to journey out to Vondelpark and take in the sun. It was packed and everybody had a blanket and stopped at the store for some picnic items. We were jealous seeing as we didn't have any of this, but we still kicked off our shoes and laid down for a little.


















On Sunday we made it out to their Electric Tramline Museum. Every Sunday this museum opens up and you can ride a historic tram out to a town called Bovenkerk, about 30 minutes south of Amsterdam, that takes you through the forest.















Along the way you passed homes with the most gorgeous backyards! They are facing a small canal and all the people were out in their backyards with their dogs and cats enjoying the weather.






We ate lunch in Bovenkerk and then walked through De Poel (it was basically a big lake) in the Amsterdam Forest. As with most of the cities in the Netherlands I've found there is a main church that is always very old. They are very pretty, and I do like the bells. We wanted to catch the tram at the next stop up so that we could walk through the forest by the lake through some little meadow forests and it was very rewarding.


































Monday has come to a close and the weather made a couple of turns. In the morning we ventured to the Van Gogh Museum and while we were there it started raining. After we left, the rain continued for a good while and we couldn't go back in to our apartment because the owner was using the pulley rig outside to move something big in to his apartment below. We decided to go to the Poezenboot, or cat boat, to see some kitties. Unfortunately it wasn't all that we had hoped for. It is a shelter for cats on a canal boat and they are open to the public for two hours on the weekdays. In this one large room there are cats in cages which are in quarantine but available for adoption, and there are lots of cats that need socializing running around the place so you're not allowed to pet them because they are socially retarded or mean. So basically you can only look at, not pet all these kitties running around your feet and in cages vying for your attention. It was pretty silly and sad for the cats. How can they become socialized if you won't let them socialize?!

The weather turned up and we went out to the Red Light District just because we hadn't been there yet, and we were very happy we didn't waste our time there. We soon hopped back on our bikes and went back out to Vondelpark and enjoyed the better weather. My camera was dead but we took lots of pictures on Mark's phone so I will maybe get around to uploading some later. We sat by a big pond and watched the different birds fighting for their space and protecting their young from the dogs. There are so many pretty birds here! They all have such pretty coloring. Maybe I can put something together showing them if I can easily find them on the Internet.


Disclaimer: Mark took a fair number of these shots. :)